Wildfire near I-5 north of LA spurs evacuations

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. 
A wildfire broke out near the Grapevine section of Interstate 5, bringing an evacuation order for about two dozen homes and threatening the shutdown of the heavily-traveled stretch of highway north of Los Angeles.

Kern County Fire Department Engineer Anthony Romero says the fire started early Friday afternoon and by nightfall had burned 730 acres of brush, but some 400 firefighters had it 56 percent contained.

Romero says residents from 23 homes along a mountain road near I-5 were urged to evacuate, but more than half chose to stay and a few houses were already vacant.

One lane of I-5 was closed earlier for emergency vehicles, but all lanes were open late Friday.

The California Highway Patrol says the fire may have been sparked by a roadside tractor-trailer.